BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 470
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 470 (Evans)
As Amended May 31, 2011
2/3 vote
SENATE VOTE :32-6
WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 8-2APPROPRIATIONS 11-5
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|Ayes:|Huffman, Blumenfield, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Campos, Fong, Gatto, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Roger Hern�ndez, Olsen, | |Calderon, Campos, Gatto, |
| |Yamada | |Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Halderman, Jones |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends for two years the existing requirement for all
persons taking salmon for commercial purposes to purchase a
commercial fishing salmon stamp. Specifically, this bill :
1)Extends the sunset clause on the requirement for purchase of a
commercial fishing salmon stamp to January 1, 2014. The
requirement otherwise will sunset at the end of this year.
2)Deletes the continuous appropriation of funds in the
Commercial Salmon Stamp Account (Account) and instead makes
the money in the Account available to the Department of Fish
and Game (DFG) upon appropriation by the Legislature.
3)Requires DFG to post on its Internet Web site information
about projects funded with funds from the Account.
4)Prohibits more than 15% of the funds in the Account from being
used for administration costs.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Prohibits any person over 18 years of age from taking salmon
for commercial purposes, or being on board a commercial salmon
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fishing vessel, unless the person has a commercial fishing
salmon stamp affixed to their commercial fishing license.
2)Requires DFG to issue a commercial fishing salmon stamp after
application and payment of a specified fee, which varies by
statute from $85 to $260, depending on the amount of
commercial landings of salmon the prior season.
3)Requires DFG, after deducting administrative costs, to deposit
the fees from sale of commercial fishing salmon stamps into
the Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. The money
in the Account is continuously appropriated to DFG for new or
expanded salmon restoration and enhancement programs that
increase ocean salmon landings.
4)Prohibits expenditure of more than 3.3% of annual expenditures
from the Account from being used for administrative overhead
costs.
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1)Requires $30 of the salmon stamp fee to be used for the
hatchery production of chinook salmon that are to be released
into state waters. Requires DFG to match the stamp monies
used for the hatcheries with non-stamp funds.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, consistent with past stamp proceeds, annual revenue
of between $170,000 to $520,000, 15% of which DFG may use for
administrative costs. (Fish and Game Preservation Fund.)
COMMENTS : Current law requires purchase of a commercial salmon
stamp to fish for salmon commercially. The stamp requirement
was put into law with support of commercial salmon fishermen who
recognized the need for conservation and management of the
resource and were willing to, in essence, charge themselves to
provide a source of supplemental funding for that purpose. The
stamp fees are used for salmon restoration and enhancement
programs. The fee for the stamp varies from a minimum of $85 to
as high as $260, depending on the volume of landings the prior
season. The 2011-12 commercial salmon stamp cost $87.55, which
reflects the poor level of last year's commercial salmon season.
This bill extends operation of the salmon stamp requirement,
which will otherwise sunset on January 1, 2012, for two years to
January 1, 2014, and also makes two other changes. The first
change deletes the continuous appropriation and the second
raises the ceiling on the percentage of expenditures from the
fund which may go to administrative costs from 3.3% to 15%. In
recent years, due to the decline in salmon runs, revenues into
the Account have been only about $50,000 per year. More
typically, the stamp program has generated between $170,000 and
$520,000 annually and has generated over $14 million during its
lifetime.
This bill is supported by the Pacific Coast Federation of
Fishermen's Associations, which includes commercial salmon
fishermen responsible for paying the stamp fee. There is no
registered opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
SB 470
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FN: 0001508